diff --git a/core/variables.js b/core/variables.js
index 16760ed3f..be9dcb681 100644
--- a/core/variables.js
+++ b/core/variables.js
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ Blockly.Variables.generateVariableFieldXml_ = function(variableModel) {
   // to be escaped to create valid XML.
   var element = goog.dom.createDom('field');
   element.setAttribute('name', 'VAR');
-  element.setAttribute('variableType', variableModel.type);
+  element.setAttribute('variabletype', variableModel.type);
   element.setAttribute('id', variableModel.getId());
   element.textContent = variableModel.name;
 
diff --git a/core/xml.js b/core/xml.js
index 907b4a1ee..82e4040b4 100644
--- a/core/xml.js
+++ b/core/xml.js
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ Blockly.Xml.blockToDom = function(block, opt_noId) {
         var variable = block.workspace.getVariable(field.getValue());
         if (variable) {
           container.setAttribute('id', variable.getId());
-          container.setAttribute('variableType', variable.type);
+          container.setAttribute('variabletype', variable.type);
         }
       }
       element.appendChild(container);
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ Blockly.Xml.domToBlockHeadless_ = function(xmlBlock, workspace) {
           // TODO (marisaleung): When we change setValue and getValue to
           // interact with IDs instead of names, update this so that we get
           // the variable based on ID instead of textContent.
-          var type = xmlChild.getAttribute('variableType') || '';
+          var type = xmlChild.getAttribute('variabletype') || '';
           var variable = workspace.getVariable(text);
           if (!variable) {
             variable = workspace.createVariable(text, type,
diff --git a/tests/jsunit/xml_test.js b/tests/jsunit/xml_test.js
index ea682dfb7..700f632f6 100644
--- a/tests/jsunit/xml_test.js
+++ b/tests/jsunit/xml_test.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ function xmlTest_setUpWithMockBlocks() {
         'name': 'VAR',
         'variable': 'item'
       }
-    ],
+    ]
   }]);
 }
 
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ function xmlTest_checkNonVariableField(fieldDom, name, text) {
   assertEquals(text, fieldDom.textContent);
   assertEquals(name, fieldDom.getAttribute('name'));
   assertNull(fieldDom.getAttribute('id'));
-  assertNull(fieldDom.getAttribute('variableType'));
+  assertNull(fieldDom.getAttribute('variabletype'));
 }
 
 /**
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ function xmlTest_checkNonVariableField(fieldDom, name, text) {
  */
 function xmlTest_checkVariableFieldDomValues(fieldDom, name, type, id, text) {
   assertEquals(name, fieldDom.getAttribute('name'));
-  assertEquals(type, fieldDom.getAttribute('variableType'));
+  assertEquals(type, fieldDom.getAttribute('variabletype'));
   assertEquals(id, fieldDom.getAttribute('id'));
   assertEquals(text, fieldDom.textContent);
 }
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ function test_domToWorkspace_VariablesAtTop() {
         '    <variable type="" id="id3">name3</variable>' +
         '  </variables>' +
         '  <block type="field_variable_test_block">' +
-        '    <field name="VAR" id="id3" variableType="">name3</field>' +
+        '    <field name="VAR" id="id3" variabletype="">name3</field>' +
         '  </block>' +
         '</xml>');
     Blockly.Xml.domToWorkspace(dom, workspace);
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ function test_domToWorkspace_VariablesAtTop_MissingType() {
         '    <variable id="id1">name1</variable>' +
         '  </variables>' +
         '  <block type="field_variable_test_block">' +
-        '    <field name="VAR" id="id1" variableType="">name3</field>' +
+        '    <field name="VAR" id="id1" variabletype="">name3</field>' +
         '  </block>' +
         '</xml>');
     Blockly.Xml.domToWorkspace(dom, workspace);
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ function test_domToWorkspace_VariablesAtTop_MismatchBlockType() {
         '    <variable type="type1" id="id1">name1</variable>' +
         '  </variables>' +
         '  <block type="field_variable_test_block">' +
-        '    <field name="VAR" id="id1" variableType="">name1</field>' +
+        '    <field name="VAR" id="id1" variabletype="">name1</field>' +
         '  </block>' +
         '</xml>');
     Blockly.Xml.domToWorkspace(dom, workspace);